Each year, more than 340,000 women die of cervical cancer, mainly caused by human papillomavirus (HPV).
HPV-related cancers also kill more than 64,000 men. But prevalence of the virus in men has been unclear — until now.
New research published in The Lancet Global Health reports that almost one in three men over the age of 15 are infected with at least one genital HPV type.
One in five are infected with one or more of the cancer-linked varieties.
Prevalence was highest between the ages of 25 and 29.
The review and meta-analysis involved 65 studies comprising almost 45,000 men from 35 countries.
HPVs typically cause no symptoms and clear up on their own, but certain types cause anogenital warts or cancers.
The findings underline the importance of including men in HPV prevention and eradication strategies.
